1. Field of the Invention:
This invention relates to weightlifting and, more particularly, to hand grips for weightlifting bars for curl and press exercises.
2. Description of the Prior Art:
U.S. Pat. No. 359,994 (Brunner) discloses calisthenic apparatus which comprise dumb-bells, or actually handles to which weights may be secured. The handles are of a generally hourglass configuration, with a relatively small diameter in the center and outwardly extending diameters from the center outwardly in both directions. The handles terminate in a relatively open or outwardly flaring mouth for the reception of weights.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,229,658 (Sandow) discloses dumb bell apparatus which are actually two halves of a hand grip, with compression springs between the two halves. The apparatus is designed to be held in a user's hand and squeezed for exercising hand, wrist, and forearm muscles. The two halves of the apparatus are configured to receive the user's hand. One half includes ridges and grooves to receive the fingers, and the other half includes depressions to conform to the bottom of a user's hand.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,664,257 (McCullough) discloses different types of golf club grip elements. Different configurations are included, including hand grips having depressions for fingers and thumbs of a user's hand.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,205,769 (Sweetland) discloses an implement handle having several different configurations. The different configurations include finger grip depressions and related designs. One of the configurations is tapered in an elongated, conical configurations. The specification indicates that the handle configurations are applicable for golf clubs, fencing foils, tennis rackets, oars, paddles, fishing rods, other types of sporting implements, for grips on firearms, and for handles of various tools, for firearm grips, grips or handles for various tools, grips for crutches, for bicycle or motorcycle grips, lever handles, and other types of handles or grips.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,508,567 (Dymeck) discloses a curl bar which includes offset portions in the bar itself. The handle extends permanently at an angle and joins the adjacent portions of the bar. The basic idea behind the offset portions of the weightlifting bar is to allow maximum development of the biceps during curls by relieving the strain on the thumbs and wrists.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,722,419 (Terapozynski) discloses a weightlifting bar having angular configurations, including oblique angled portions on the bar adjacent to the weights, and bar portions referred to as transverse grips.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,384,370 (Bailey et al) discloses a pair of rings disposed along the length of a weightlifting bar and spaced apart from each other. Within each ring is a movable bar which can be adjusted within the ring for the most convenient orientation of the user's hand while performing curl weightlifting exercises. The '370 patent indicates that barbell exercises may be performed with greater ease of movement, more flexibility, and less strain on the wrists and elbow joints of the user.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,222,560 (Hallerman) discloses an exerciser and rehabilitative gripping apparatus in which a liquid of relatively viscosity is placed in a conically configured element, with a bellows element above the conical configured element. The conically configured element is designed to be squeezed by a user's hand to force the high viscosity liquid up into the bellows.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,288,073 (Petrachonis et al) discloses another type of exercise bar which includes oblique angled portions adjacent to the weight, similar to that discussed in the '419 patent above. The bar is straight between the oblique angled portions. The oblique angled portions are referred to as short inclined sections in the '073 patent.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,351,526 (Schwartz) discloses a dumb bell with a hand grip that includes finger depressions and a strap which extends over the back of a user's hand.
British Pat. No. 550,961 (Preston) discloses a dumb bell having a rubber grip on the outside. The rubber grip is a generally oval shaped element. The rubber dumb bell includes a hole extending longitudinally through the dumb bell for receiving cores of different weights or different resiliences so that the resistance of the dumb bell may be increased, depending on a particular core inserted into the handle. The hand grip has a different resiliency, and a different thickness, depending on where a user grips the apparatus for different types of resistance during exercising.
French Pat. No. 1,112,170 (Benassy) discloses a hand grip which has a configuration including finger depressions. The hand grip is designed to orient the hand in a proper position for gripping implements, instruments, etc.
None of the above-discussed apparatus, except for the French patents, addresses either the specific problem of the wrist anatomy, and accordingly none suggests a solution to the specific problem. However, except for the discussed patents and the '567 (Dymeck) patent, none are concerned with exercise apparatus for muscular exercise and development. The alignment of the bones of the hand, wrist, and forearm are not a concern in implement handles, golf clubs, tennis rackets, etc. Both the '567 patent and the '370 patent allow the hands to be oriented at an angle to the bones in the forearm without compensating for the real problem, the bone structure in the wrists.
Grip apparatus for weightlifting bars usable for press and for curl exercises includes a conically configured grip disposed about a bar. The grip widens outwardly for presses and inwardly for curls to allow the bones in the hand to be aligned relatively straight with respect to the ulna and radius bones in the forearm when doing press and curl weightlifting exercises.
Due to the bone structure of the wrist, without the extra thickness provided by the conical element, the hands of a weightlifter tend to rotate inwardly so that excess pressure is placed on the radius bone in the forearm and on the muscles of the wrist and the hand. The muscles in the wrist and the hand accordingly tend to become worn out before the arm or shoulder muscles have been sufficiently exercised. In the alternative, a sprain or strain of the wrist may occur.
The conical taper compensates for the bone structure of the wrist to allow the hand to remain aligned to relieve the strain, and prevent possible strain, in order that the muscles of the arm and shoulders may be fully exercised.